Furthest you've travelled to buy but eventually walked away?
Discussion
Davie said:
Edinburgh to South Wales with a mate who was looking to buy a "mint" Cavalier GSi... a car that I'd written off before the seller even managed to reverse it out his garage. The guy seemed genuinely perplexed that we'd driven from Edinburgh and having spent about 5 minutes at his house, were about to drive all the way home again empty handed. Not to worry, was a nice run.
Aside for that, did Edinburgh to Peterhead to look at an Astra GSi and had the woman not come out the house as we drove in to the street, I'd have just done a U turn and gone home but instead I had to endure 10 minutes of "but it's immaculate... for it's age" type crap before I said no thanks, and drove all the way home again.
Growing quite tired of that game now...
Similar experience. Drove from Warrington to near Donnington Park (before the A50 extention) on a Friday to look at a Kawasaki Z650 "in mint condition" advertised in the Autotrader.Aside for that, did Edinburgh to Peterhead to look at an Astra GSi and had the woman not come out the house as we drove in to the street, I'd have just done a U turn and gone home but instead I had to endure 10 minutes of "but it's immaculate... for it's age" type crap before I said no thanks, and drove all the way home again.
Growing quite tired of that game now...
My mate who wanted the bike was in the passenger seat. As we pulled up outside the house the bike was on the drive with the owner trying his hardest to get the thing running ( "I use it all the time mate") and it was obviously a long way from being mint. My pal asked the guy if that was the bike for sale. When he said it was he said to me "let's go". We didn't even get out of the van.
giblet said:
Had a few trips to Birmingham to view some 5th gen Preludes too. Both sketchy so made my way home being young (and foolish) at the time I had travelled to both with nearly 4 grand about my person. Luckily I didn't get mugged!
How would they know. I have carried £13k as it helps with the negotiation on price. I got the Z28 down from £12k to £10500 with the lure of hard cash. I was buying from a copper, mind.Drove from Suffolk to Swindon to look at a car, got there and it had two totally flat tyres, a totally flat battery, dents in the side which hadn't been disclosed and a host of warning lights on.
This was AFTER I'd phoned them (the day before) I was coming to view and I'd rented a car for the drive too.
This was AFTER I'd phoned them (the day before) I was coming to view and I'd rented a car for the drive too.
jayemm89 said:
Drove from Suffolk to Swindon to look at a car, got there and it had two totally flat tyres, a totally flat battery, dents in the side which hadn't been disclosed and a host of warning lights on.
This was AFTER I'd phoned them (the day before) I was coming to view and I'd rented a car for the drive too.
I had a similar experience locally. Trader knew I was coming to look at a car but didn't even bother to pump up a flat tyre, never mind sort it.This was AFTER I'd phoned them (the day before) I was coming to view and I'd rented a car for the drive too.
I avoided that one...
Not quite a wasted journey story but almost.
Live North Notts. Phoned a dealer in Newcastle about a then 3yr old Boxster S. Asked if they could do a deal if I liked the car as it was about £1k over my budget and I didn't want to drive to see a car I couldn't afford. Dealer agreed and immediately asked when I was coming to collect. Said I'd drive up the next day to have a look at the car before committing. If all was good I'd buy.
Que an immediate tirade of abuse from said dealer to say I HAD to buy the car as he had agreed to my price. I was a
Son of a who deserved to die a slow painful death. He wished people like me would stop wasting his time and I should just off.
Was it really unreasonable of me to want to view a car before dropping £25k on it????
Dealer principle rang me later the same day. I thought he was ringing to apologise for salesmans behaviour. Oh no. He also spent several minutes abusing me and calling me every name under the Sun for wasting their time before I hung up on him.
If I could remember the name of the dealer I'd post it. Fools.
Live North Notts. Phoned a dealer in Newcastle about a then 3yr old Boxster S. Asked if they could do a deal if I liked the car as it was about £1k over my budget and I didn't want to drive to see a car I couldn't afford. Dealer agreed and immediately asked when I was coming to collect. Said I'd drive up the next day to have a look at the car before committing. If all was good I'd buy.
Que an immediate tirade of abuse from said dealer to say I HAD to buy the car as he had agreed to my price. I was a
Son of a who deserved to die a slow painful death. He wished people like me would stop wasting his time and I should just off.Was it really unreasonable of me to want to view a car before dropping £25k on it????
Dealer principle rang me later the same day. I thought he was ringing to apologise for salesmans behaviour. Oh no. He also spent several minutes abusing me and calling me every name under the Sun for wasting their time before I hung up on him.
If I could remember the name of the dealer I'd post it. Fools.
Must have clocked up over 1000 miles looking at Lupo GTis before I bought the one I have now, and the one I owned before which I've just sold.
Drove from Sheffield to Glasgow to look at a 'mint' red one which had won concours events at shows, even had photos of the car at events looking stunning. Turned out these were photos the seller had nicked from when the previous owner had the car! It had been used as a commuting hack for a year and looked as though it had never been washed or polished in that time, it was dirty and the paint was very dull. Needless to say I was very angry having travelled so far.
Also travelled to a dealer in Kidderminster to look at a silver one which, on arrival, has evidently been part ex'd by a local chav. Purple headlights and badges along with a nasty-sounding grind from the rear suspension when you went over a bump and it was thanks but no thanks with that one as well
Having said that, the two I bought were from Nuneaton and Norwich so don't be put off by distance, just do as many checks as you can to ensure the car is how it's being described. The new online MOT checker is a big help as well.
Drove from Sheffield to Glasgow to look at a 'mint' red one which had won concours events at shows, even had photos of the car at events looking stunning. Turned out these were photos the seller had nicked from when the previous owner had the car! It had been used as a commuting hack for a year and looked as though it had never been washed or polished in that time, it was dirty and the paint was very dull. Needless to say I was very angry having travelled so far.
Also travelled to a dealer in Kidderminster to look at a silver one which, on arrival, has evidently been part ex'd by a local chav. Purple headlights and badges along with a nasty-sounding grind from the rear suspension when you went over a bump and it was thanks but no thanks with that one as well
Having said that, the two I bought were from Nuneaton and Norwich so don't be put off by distance, just do as many checks as you can to ensure the car is how it's being described. The new online MOT checker is a big help as well.
My one and only long distance faux pas still makes me laugh.
In 1992, I drove from Darlington to somewhere in Warwickshire to buy a 1973 Alfasud - the first year of them here and probably the only one left.
"Needs some restoration. New clutch, drives well"
So one Sunday morning I drove about 150 miles South and arrived at the farm where it was kept. Farm - alarm bells.
The tit selling the car wasn't there but his Dad was. So we start walking up through the farmyard and get to the top field - alarm bells deafening at this point. In the middle of the field was indeed a 1973 Sud. With no front wings and no wheels, sat belly down in the mud. No number plates, no logbook, no hope. No apology from the Dad either who thought it all quite amusing.
However, the young tit responded to an advert a couple of years later for an Alfa 33 engine. I realised who it was after a minute or so, and for £200 he got a 33 engine - shame it was completely fked after being run with no oil down the A34. I sold the good one to someone else.
In 1992, I drove from Darlington to somewhere in Warwickshire to buy a 1973 Alfasud - the first year of them here and probably the only one left.
"Needs some restoration. New clutch, drives well"
So one Sunday morning I drove about 150 miles South and arrived at the farm where it was kept. Farm - alarm bells.
The tit selling the car wasn't there but his Dad was. So we start walking up through the farmyard and get to the top field - alarm bells deafening at this point. In the middle of the field was indeed a 1973 Sud. With no front wings and no wheels, sat belly down in the mud. No number plates, no logbook, no hope. No apology from the Dad either who thought it all quite amusing.
However, the young tit responded to an advert a couple of years later for an Alfa 33 engine. I realised who it was after a minute or so, and for £200 he got a 33 engine - shame it was completely f
ked after being run with no oil down the A34. I sold the good one to someone else.What really riles me is;
You take a day of your life to travel XXX miles, sometimes with a mate in tow or absorb the costs involved be it fuel or public transport... and then upon arrival and being faced with a bit of a wreck, you decide to give it a miss and then make your way home.
Then, the advert gets updated;
"No more time wasters"
Me? Timewaster? You've dragged your arse off the sofa and I've taken a day off work, unpaid and driven 800 miles at a cost of hundreds but I've wasted YOUR time?
Or, you could be the lucky one who, having done all of the above to go and view a car but having decided it's not for you, you graciously thank the seller and say politely "It's not for me, but thanks for your time" and are met with "How, what's wrong with it?"
Oh really... well stand back sunshine because here it comes.
This aggressive selling bullst really is getting tedious... adverts giving it attitude and "no time wasters" which basically means if you don't buy it, you're immediately branded a time waster even if the thing turns out to be a total raft of st...
What ever happened to honesty and common courtesy.
That's my rant over.
You take a day of your life to travel XXX miles, sometimes with a mate in tow or absorb the costs involved be it fuel or public transport... and then upon arrival and being faced with a bit of a wreck, you decide to give it a miss and then make your way home.
Then, the advert gets updated;
"No more time wasters"
Me? Timewaster? You've dragged your arse off the sofa and I've taken a day off work, unpaid and driven 800 miles at a cost of hundreds but I've wasted YOUR time?
Or, you could be the lucky one who, having done all of the above to go and view a car but having decided it's not for you, you graciously thank the seller and say politely "It's not for me, but thanks for your time" and are met with "How, what's wrong with it?"
Oh really... well stand back sunshine because here it comes.
This aggressive selling bulls
t really is getting tedious... adverts giving it attitude and "no time wasters" which basically means if you don't buy it, you're immediately branded a time waster even if the thing turns out to be a total raft of st... What ever happened to honesty and common courtesy.
That's my rant over.
neilf said:
Not quite a wasted journey story but almost.
Live North Notts. Phoned a dealer in Newcastle about a then 3yr old Boxster S. Asked if they could do a deal if I liked the car as it was about £1k over my budget and I didn't want to drive to see a car I couldn't afford. Dealer agreed and immediately asked when I was coming to collect. Said I'd drive up the next day to have a look at the car before committing. If all was good I'd buy.
Que an immediate tirade of abuse from said dealer to say I HAD to buy the car as he had agreed to my price. I was a Son of a who deserved to die a slow painful death. He wished people like me would stop wasting his time and I should just off.
Was it really unreasonable of me to want to view a car before dropping £25k on it????
Dealer principle rang me later the same day. I thought he was ringing to apologise for salesmans behaviour. Oh no. He also spent several minutes abusing me and calling me every name under the Sun for wasting their time before I hung up on him.
If I could remember the name of the dealer I'd post it. Fools.
I wonder if he posts on here. There's a bloke who sells Porsches on here that really went OTT with me for no reason. Almost dearranged in his misplaced attacks.Live North Notts. Phoned a dealer in Newcastle about a then 3yr old Boxster S. Asked if they could do a deal if I liked the car as it was about £1k over my budget and I didn't want to drive to see a car I couldn't afford. Dealer agreed and immediately asked when I was coming to collect. Said I'd drive up the next day to have a look at the car before committing. If all was good I'd buy.
Que an immediate tirade of abuse from said dealer to say I HAD to buy the car as he had agreed to my price. I was a
Son of a who deserved to die a slow painful death. He wished people like me would stop wasting his time and I should just off.Was it really unreasonable of me to want to view a car before dropping £25k on it????
Dealer principle rang me later the same day. I thought he was ringing to apologise for salesmans behaviour. Oh no. He also spent several minutes abusing me and calling me every name under the Sun for wasting their time before I hung up on him.
If I could remember the name of the dealer I'd post it. Fools.
A couple from a few weeks back.
I was on the look out for a cheap run around for the other half.
Go to see a tdi skoda octavia being as it was the other side of London it took about 2 hours to get there even though it was only 17 miles.
The 1 owner turned out to be 4 and the fsh turned out to be 1 stamp, the turbo whistled like a police siren.
Go home again
2 days later another 1 same area different dealer.
Open the boot everything is sodden wet and standing water in the wheel well. Everything is damp with visible condensation that was the valeteers apparently.
Many years ago i went to buy a Range rover classic in the middle of derbyshire, long train ride no public transport and ended up getting collected from the station.
The low mileage of 86000 was 186000 they forgot the 1 - as you do.
The bodywork was nothing like described either.
Ended up buying it as the train fare was stupid amount to get back to london.
I was on the look out for a cheap run around for the other half.
Go to see a tdi skoda octavia being as it was the other side of London it took about 2 hours to get there even though it was only 17 miles.
The 1 owner turned out to be 4 and the fsh turned out to be 1 stamp, the turbo whistled like a police siren.
Go home again
2 days later another 1 same area different dealer.
Open the boot everything is sodden wet and standing water in the wheel well. Everything is damp with visible condensation that was the valeteers apparently.
Many years ago i went to buy a Range rover classic in the middle of derbyshire, long train ride no public transport and ended up getting collected from the station.
The low mileage of 86000 was 186000 they forgot the 1 - as you do.
The bodywork was nothing like described either.
Ended up buying it as the train fare was stupid amount to get back to london.
steve-5snwi said:
I could have saved you the trip, most cars in Peterborough are rubbish.
I lived in Peterborough until a few years ago and I so far haven't bought one car from my hometown.Furthest I've travelled was from where I live now (Bourne, South Lincs) to Cardiff for an apparent mint condition Merc A class for the mrs. Safe to say it had 3 bald tyres and a massive dint on the passenger side door.
Wasn't a wasted trip, we went to Cardiff for a dirty weekend, so wasn't all bad.
MisterWhippy said:
I lived in Peterborough until a few years ago and I so far haven't bought one car from my hometown.
Furthest I've travelled was from where I live now (Bourne, South Lincs) to Cardiff for an apparent mint condition Merc A class for the mrs. Safe to say it had 3 bald tyres and a massive dint on the passenger side door.
Wasn't a wasted trip, we went to Cardiff for a dirty weekend, so wasn't all bad.
Furthest I've travelled was from where I live now (Bourne, South Lincs) to Cardiff for an apparent mint condition Merc A class for the mrs. Safe to say it had 3 bald tyres and a massive dint on the passenger side door.
Wasn't a wasted trip, we went to Cardiff for a dirty weekend, so wasn't all bad.
: you and the vendor? I think nothing of driving over 100 miles to view a car, furthest I went was about 150 miles to view a crap example of an A3, it had 3 bolts in one of the wheels and rusty wings. Another one was a rusty A4 that looked mint in the pictures. I turned up got out, clocked the rust and got straight back in my car and drove an hour and a half home.
I drove from Portsmouth to Poole (about a 110 mile round trip) to look at a Mk3 Escort XR3 'lookalike' with the standard 1.6 carb engine and 4 speed 'box. It was a really windy night and was raining hard so I could hardly tell what the car was like, so decided to go back at the weekend for a better look.
I got back really late as I had to take various detours on the way home due to road closures and went straight to sleep. When I woke up in the morning it seemed like every tree in the area had come down; it was October 15 1987, aka 'The Great storm'...
I did buy it when I went back, mostly because I was taken by the upgrades (back then I couldn't afford the real thing, let alone the insurance). Turned out alright though as I did 55,000 miles in one year in it with no problems, just lots of regular oil changes and basic servicing. I put another 40,000 miles on it after that before I sold it on locally and it survived at least another 3 years as I saw it driving around.
I got back really late as I had to take various detours on the way home due to road closures and went straight to sleep. When I woke up in the morning it seemed like every tree in the area had come down; it was October 15 1987, aka 'The Great storm'...
I did buy it when I went back, mostly because I was taken by the upgrades (back then I couldn't afford the real thing, let alone the insurance). Turned out alright though as I did 55,000 miles in one year in it with no problems, just lots of regular oil changes and basic servicing. I put another 40,000 miles on it after that before I sold it on locally and it survived at least another 3 years as I saw it driving around.
Mine was only an 80 mile round trip but it ended up being a 5 hour round trip due to traffic on the M25. It was a Passat TDi and when I phoned the dealer I asked him if it had any poorly repaired accident damage to be told it had never been in an accident. We arrive with cash in hand to buy the car, only to notice the rear passenger door shut was all over the place as we parked.
The more I looked around the car the more poorly repaired accident damage I spotted.
Total waste of a Saturday.
The more I looked around the car the more poorly repaired accident damage I spotted.
Total waste of a Saturday.
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